ONIP – Ontario Provincial Nomination Immigration Program

Ontario is the most populous province in Canada. Approximately 40 percent of Canadians live in Ontario, and the province is home to Ottawa, Canada's capital city, as well as Toronto, the country's largest city and primary business and financial center. Ontario is the economic, social, and political heartland of Canada, and is by far the most popular destination in Canada for new immigrants from around the world. The most multicultural province in Canada, approximately half of the country's new immigrants settlement in Ontario, and the province includes people from 200 different countries that speak more than 125 languages.

Express Entry Ontario

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is designed to give select foreign nationals interested in Ontario immigration the opportunity to apply for Canadian permanent residence through an expedited process. Formerly called the Opportunities Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OOPNP), the program is for prospective immigrants with the specific skills and experience targeted by the province. There are two different ways to go about getting nominated by the Ontario PNP. Outside of Express Entry, a potential immigrant can contact Immigration Ontario and apply to the OINP directly. If given a provincial nomination, he or she can then create a Canada Express Entry profile and add their Ontario nomination credentials.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is designed to give select foreign nationals interested in Ontario immigration the opportunity to apply for Canadian permanent residence through an expedited process. Formerly called the Opportunities Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OOPNP), the program is for prospective immigrants with the specific skills and experience targeted by the province. There are two different ways to go about getting nominated by the Ontario PNP. Outside of Express Entry, a potential immigrant can contact Immigration Ontario and apply to the OINP directly. If given a provincial nomination, he or she can then create a Canada Express Entry profile and add their Ontario nomination credentials.

People interested in Ontario immigration can also begin the process by creating an Express Entry profile and registering their interest in the province within the system. The Ontario PNP can then contact the person through Express Entry and formally invite them to apply to the immigration program. If an applicant is then given a PNP Ontario nomination the certificate can be transferred to them using Express Entry which will instantaneously increase their score under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) by 600 points. The person will likely then have enough Express Entry Canada CRS points to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) during the next Express Entry draw which takes place every few months. Our experienced Canadian immigration professional can optimize your Express Entry profile for Ontario immigration through the OINP 2018.

We can also help you apply to the Ontario PNP program, and once nominated can help you apply to become a permanent resident of Canada. Express Entry speeds up the Ontario immigration process significantly, with most applicants being processed in less than 6 months.

Ontario Cities

Toronto immigration and Ottawa immigration are very popular among ON PNP candidates, although Immigrant Nominee Program Ontario participants settle all across the province.

Largest cities in Ontario:

Toronto (including Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Burlington, Oakville, Barrie, Pickering, Vaughan, and Oshawa)Ottawa (including Kanata)HamiltonKitchener-Waterloo (including Cambridge)London, OntarioSt. Catharines - NiagaraWindsorGuelphKingstonSudburyBrantfordPeterboroughSarniaBellevilleNorth Bay
Unlike many Canadian provinces, the Ontario nominee program does not operate under an Expression of Interest model (also called an EOI system) which means that applications are accepted directly by the program without prior communication needed. Combined with the CIC Express Entry online immigration system, the ON PNP is the fastest way to immigrate to Ontario. Processing times for Express Entry Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OPNP) applications are typically processed in less than half a year.

Ontario Express Entry Program - How to Immigrate to Ontario

The Ontario PNP is a great program for anyone interested in moving to the Canadian province permanently to look into. Of course, it does not apply to everybody, but those that it does apply to will greatly benefit from a nomination. Occasionally referred to as the Toronto PNP since most people immigrating to Ontario settle in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), the PNP Ontario immigration Express Entry program is one of the fastest ways to move to Canada permanently.

At the same time that the program allows foreign workers to live and work in Ontario, it also allows the province to attract the skilled labor force it needs to prosper and grow the economy as well as to stay competitive in the global market. Indeed, the Ontario Provincial Nominee Program has been very successful since its inauguration. So much so that Ontario is continuously working for ways to improve the program to achieve even more effectiveness, efficiency, and integrity.

Simply put, Ontario is committed to the long-term success of its Provincial Nominee Program. You can rest assured that the program will be around for years to come and that it will continue to improve during this time. It will continue to benefit individuals, employers, and the province itself into the future. To facilitate even more growth, new Provincial Nominee Program Ontario streams are continuing to open up, such as the International PhD Graduate Stream and the Pilot Masters Graduate Stream which recently opened under the International Students Category. New Ontario Express Entry categories are also opening, so check back on this website often for the latest Ontario immigration news and information.

In order to obtain a Canada Permanent Resident Visa through the 2018 Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, you must first be selected for a provincial nomination and then selected again by the Government of Canada through an Express Entry draw. In order to initially receive the Ontario nomination, you must be selected via an OINP EOI draw after submitting an Expression of Interest to the province. Being nominated at the provincial level will add 600 points to your Canada Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking Score, also called the Express Entry CRS. This will greatly increase your likelihood of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency through the federal immigration system.

Benefits of the Ontario PNP 2018

The benefits of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program 2018 are numerous. You have probably already gleaned a lot of them from the information discussed above.

Simply put, the Ontario PNP as well as Provincial Nominee Programs in other Canadian provinces ensure that good people immigrant to Canada. Although 55% to 60% of Ontario's entire immigrant population came to the province without this program, it does ensure that skilled workers desperately needed in certain industries and employment sectors get fast-tracked approval.

Indeed, this is the number one benefit of the program. An enormous amount of time is saved in the immigration application process. The Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OPNP) makes decisions within 60 days. The next step of the process usually takes between 7 and 8 months. Sure, it might still seem like a long time, but it is absolutely fast compared to the normal 17 to 32 month processing time. In many cases, prepared applicants are able to receive work permits in as little as 6 months time.

Another major benefit for applicants is that they are not required to take the Federal language test when applying for the Provincial Nominee Program. Instead, they are allowed to demonstrate proficiency in another way.

Finally, Ontario's Provincial Nominee Program gives candidates the ability to leave the province during the application process. As long as candidates have shown that they have a serious intention of staying and working in Ontario after their Permanent Residence status is obtained, they are allowed to move freely around Canada.

Ontario Provincial Nominee Program 2018 Streams

PNP Ontario General Category

The General Category, as its name implies, is by far the broadest immigration category in the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). It allows Ontario employers to recruit foreign employees for approved skills position. These are classified by the Government of Canada as "NOC 0, A, or B Level." Applications are required from both the employer as well as the foreign national. These applications must show that both parties fully meet all of the eligibility requirements. If all the requirements are met, a nomination of certification may be issued under the General Category of the Ontario PNP.

Applicants must meet several requirements in order to be eligible as a foreign worker under the Provincial Nominee Program Ontario General Category.

Applicant requirements:

Must have two years of work experience, within the past five years, in their intended occupation. Or, if applying for a regulated occupation in Ontario, must have the appropriate registration in the province.Work experience only counts if it was paid and verifiable. It can be obtained in Canada or abroad. Volunteer and other unpaid experience does not count. Work experience within Canada will only count if there is proper work authorization.Must have a permanent, full-time job offer in a skilled occupation (NOC Levels 0, A, or B) from an Ontario employers. The employer must also submit an application that must first be approved by Opportunities Ontario. It must remain valid at the time the employee's application is approved.Must have legal status if living in Canada during application. Refugee claimants and asylum seekers are not eligible for the Ontario Provincial Nominee Program 2018."Joint Verification" form signed by employer is required. A "Pre-Screen Position" form is also required.
Employers must also meet a wide range of requirements to be eligible under the General Category of the Ontario Nominee Program 2018.

Employer requirements:

Business active for at least three yearsGross revenue at least $1,000,000 with at least five permanent full-time employees for those companies in Greater Toronto Area. Gross revenue at least $500,000 with at least three permanent full-time employees for companies outside this area.Job must be located inside of the province of Ontario
Finally, the job position itself must meet a number of requirements.

Job requirements:

Skilled occupation as defined by government as NOC Level 0, A, or BPermanent, full-time positionMeet prevailing wage levels for the position in OntarioMay not affect the settlement of any labor dispute the company or its employees are involved inMay not adversely affect employment or training opportunities for Canadian citizens and permanent residentsPosition must be necessary for the operation of the company

International Students Category

The International Students Category of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program is designed for international students in study aboard programs. The category is broken down into three primary sub-categories. These include the International Student with a Job Offer Stream, International PhD Graduate Stream, and Pilot International Masters Graduate Stream. This OPNP category is extremely popular among recent graduates from the University of Western Ontario (UWO), University of Ottawa, University of Toronto (UofT), Ryerson University, University of Waterloo (UofW), Brock University, McMaster University, Wilfred Laurier University (WLU), University of Guelph, Carleton University, Queen's University, York University, and University of Windsor.

Pilot International Masters Graduate Stream
The Provincial Nominee Program Ontario International Masters Graduate Stream is only a pilot program. A maximum of only 1,000 applicants will be accepted. Though students applying in this sub-category do not need a job offer, they must meet an extensive list of requirements.

Applicant requirements:Intention to live and work in OntarioGraduated from an existing Masters program at an eligible publicly funded university in OntarioOne academic year must be completed on a full-time basisApplication must be submitted no later than two years from the date of completion of Masters degree. It can be submitted as early as during the student's last semester of study in the program.Must be currently residing in Ontario with legal status. Refugee claimants and asylum seekers are not eligible.High proficiency in English or French.Minimum level of savings/income. Enough to support themselves as well as any of their dependents.Must have resided in Ontario for at least one full year during the past two yearsMust not have plans for further studies in Ontario as main activity. However, further study is allowed as it related to regulated occupations in the province.International PhD Students Stream
Like the International Masters Students Stream, those students applying for the International PhD Students Stream do not need a job offer. There also several requirements that must be met for this sub-category of the Ontario PNP.

Applicant requirements:

Must have graduated from an existing PhD program at an eligible publicly funded university in Ontario. Or successfully competed all of the degree requirements for such a program (and are awaiting their degree). Or, finally, have at least two years of completed PhD studies at an eligible publicly funded university in Ontario.Application must be submitted no later than two years from the date PhD was received.Applicant must have legal status if living in Canada.International Student with a Job Offer Stream
Under the OINP 2018, there are several requirements for international students with an approved job offer from a Canadian employer.

Applicant requirements:At least half of studies must have been in Canada. Must have already graduated or be graduating soon from a publicly funded college or university in Canada.Must have completed a two-year degree or diploma program (or longer) on a full-time basis. Or must have completed a one-year post-graduate degree or certificate program (or longer). The second option requires a previous degree or diploma that may be earned from Canada or abroad.Must have acquired a permanent, full-time job offer in a skilled occupation (NOC Levels 0, A, or B). Employer in question must also submit an application to Opportunities Ontario. The offer must be approved and remain valid at time student's application is approved. (Job offer does not need to be in same field as the student's degree or diploma).Application must be submitted no later than two years after the date that the student received their Canadian degree or diploma. It can be submitted as early as the last semester of the student's studies.Application must have legal status if living in Canada. “Joint Verification" form and a "Pre-Screen Position" form are also required from the employer.

Ontario Corporate Stream

The Ontario PNP Corporate Stream was introduced in fall 2015 to help establish and support international corporations interested in expanding into Ontario either by opening or buying a business in the province. Through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program Corporate Stream, important employees of the foreign corporation can be nominated for Canadian permanent resident status once the business has been successfully setup in the province. In order to participate in the OINP 2018 Corporate Category, several requirements must be satisfied.

Eligibility:The corporation must invest $5 million or more in the new or existing Ontario businessFive permanent, full-time jobs must be created for Canadian citizens or Canadian permanent residents for each OINP nomination made under this categoryEmployees seeking an Ontario Nominee Program nomination via this stream must be employed by the corporation and be key to the operation of the company in OntarioNominated staff members have 24 months to demonstrate a minimum English language requirement in accordance with nomination criteriaThe international business must be well established with a proven track record over the past 36 months or longer
Before being nominated by Ontario for Canada PR status, key employees of the corporation can obtain two-year Temporary Work Permits from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) allowing them to build the business in Ontario while not yet being permanent residents. The OINP will work with the corporation to establish a Performance Agreement that outlines performance commitments and time frames for the Ontario enterprise. Successful provincial nominations for key staff members will be conditional on meeting these commitments. A foreign corporation can nominate a maximum of 5 people under this OINP stream for each Ontario business purchased or created.

Ontario Entrepreneur Stream

In fall 2015, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program investor component was closed and the OINP Entrepreneur category was officially introduced. The Ontario PNP Entrepreneur stream is designed to help foreigners buy a business in the province or create a brand new Ontario company. Once the business has been established, entrepreneurs can then be nominated by Immigration Ontario for Canadian permanent residency under the OINP Entrepreneur stream. In order to qualify for the Ontario Nominee Program 2018 Entrepreneur stream, a list of requirements must be met.

Eligibility:Each prospective nominee must make a $500,000 minimum investment in the Province of Ontario. If the business is located in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) the investment criteria increases to a minimum investment of $1,000,000 unless the business is in the digital media or information and communications technology (ICT) sectors. If the entrepreneur has a business partner who would also like to qualify under this OINP stream, he or she must also make the required minimum investment of either $500 thousand or $1 million. Please note: all monetary amounts are in Canadian dollars (CAD) not US dollars (USD).Each prospective nominee must have an $800,000 minimum net worth. If the business is located in the Greater Toronto Area this minimum net worth requirement increases to $1,500,000 unless the business is in the Digital Media or ICT industry.Buying or creating the Ontario business must create two permanent, full-time employment positions for Canadian permanent residents or citizensThe entrepreneur along with his or her business partner (if applicable) will have 24 months to satisfy minimum program requirements in order to receive a Canada PR nomination from the Province of OntarioThe entrepreneur must have a minimum of 3 years of senior management or business ownership experience in the past 5 years
When opening a new business in Ontario, or buying an existing business, the entrepreneur must own and control at least a 33.3% equity share in the endeavor in order to qualify under this PNP Ontario stream. As part of the application process, the viability of the business plan will be assessed by Immigration Ontario officials, and a performance agreement will be required outlying key investment and job creation commitments that need to be met within 2 years in order for the OINP to proceed with a provincial nomination. Please note: the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program considers businesses to be located in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) if they are in the City of Toronto or in the Durham, Halton, Peel, or York regions.

Human Capital Priorities Stream

The PNP Ontario Human Capital Priorities Stream is a new OINP category that allows the province to select potential immigrants from the Express Entry pool that have the necessary skilled work experience, language ability, characteristics, and education to bring value to the Ontario labour market. The Ontario PNP will search through Express Entry profiles that have indicated an interest in Ontario immigration and have a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of at least 400 points, and will then send a Notication of Interest to individuals who meet the criteria of this stream.

People who receive a PT Notification of Interest (NOI) from the Province of Ontario through their MyCIC account will then have 45 days to apply to the Ontario PNP Stream. To be eligible under the OINP Human Capital Priorities Stream, an applicant must satisfy all the criteria listed below.

Applicant requirements:Education - All candidates must have a Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. degree from Canada, or an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report indicating that their foreign education is the equivalent of suchLanguage Proficiency - All candidates must have read, write, listen, and speak in either English or French at a language level of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7, as proven by a standardised language test recognized by the Government of OntarioWork Experience - All candidates are required to have a minimum of 12 months of continuous full-time employment in a National Occupation Classification (NOC) level 0, A, or B occupation in the five years prior to the date of the Ontario Notication of Interest. An equal amount of part-time paid work experience (1560 hours) will suffice for this requirement. Applicants who wish to be assessed against the Canada Experience Class criteria are required to have at least 12 months of cumulative full-time employment (or the equilvament number of hours of part-time experience) within the past three years instead of five.Express Entry score - All applicants must have a Canada Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System score of 400 points or greater, and this score must remain throughout provincial and federal processingIntention to Live in Ontario - All candidates for Ontario immigration to intend to reside in the provinceFunds for Settlement - All PNP Ontario candidates must have a sufficient amount of unencumbered funds that can be used to cover moving to the province and getting settled. Bank statements must demonstrate these funds.

French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream is aligned with Canada's Express Entry selection system and enables prospective immigrants that speak French to move to Ontario. People that register for Express Entry, enter the Federal Skilled Worker Program or Canada Experience Class pool, and indicate an interest in Ontario immigration may be eligible for the OINP French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream if they satisfy all the criteria below.

Applicant requirements:Education - Candidates must possess of Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, or Ph.D. degree from a Canadian institution, or the equivalent from a foreign school along with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) indicating that the education is equivalent to a Canadian degreeFrench Language Ability - Applicants must have a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 7 or higher in French, and 6 of higher in English, which must be demonstrated by a Government of Canada and Ontario approved standardized language testWork Experience - Candidates applying through the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) must have at least 1 year of paid work experience in an NOC level 0, A, or B occupation in the past 60 months. Candidates applying through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) must have a minimum of one year of full-time employment in an NOC 0, A, or B level occupation in the past 36 months.Ontario immigration intention - All immigrants through this ON PNP channel must intend to reside in the province and should demonstrate this intention through a statement of intent and proof of ties to Ontario.Settlement Money - Applicants should have enough money to adequately settle in the province, which should be supported by bank statements
Potential immigrants who receive a PT NOI from the Ontario Provincial Nominee Program in their My CIC account will be given 45 days in which to apply to the OINP. If nominated by the Ontario PNP program, the candidate will then have 30 days to accept the Ontario nomination from within Express Entry, which is worth 600 CRS points.

Investors Category (Closed)

Update: In fall 2015 the Ontario investor program was officially closed and two new OINP categories were introduced - the Ontario entrepreneur program, and the Ontario business program for corporations. Ontario investor immigration applications received by October 29, 2015, will be processed normally, but the Ontario PNP will accept no new investor category applications after this date. Consequently, people interested in business immigration to Ontario should consider the new OINP entrepreneur stream, which is detailed above.

The final category of the Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (ON PNP) is the Investors Category. This category is designed to give companies that make an investment in Ontario the ability to recruit and retain important employees. The program allows these important employees to immigrate to Canada, ensuring the company's investment in the process. All applicants to this category must be integral to the functioning of the company in question.

Simply put, investments must be of significant importance to Ontario to qualify under the Investors Category. They must also create new jobs for Ontarians. Furthermore, new investments and expansions to current operations are also eligible. The investments must meet all of the requirements listed below to be eligible for the Ontario Nominee Program 2018.

Investment requirements:Must receive official endorsement from another Ontario ministry at the Deputy Minister levelAmount of investment must be at least $3,000,000Must create at least five net permanent full-time jobs for Canadian citizens and permanent residents of OntarioMust comply with Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations
At the same time that the investment itself has a list of requirements, so do the employees applying to the program.

Applications must meet the following requirements:Must be actively involved in the management of the businessMust control at least 33.3% of the business's equity. Or make a minimum of a $1 million investment in the business.Must not have the option of redeeming investment after a certain periodMust invest the capital in the business. However, investment can't be for the primary purpose of deriving interest, dividends, or capital gains.

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